Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Benefits

Antioxidant
Anticoccidial
Antitumor
Anti-inflammatory
Antiparasitic
Antibacterial
Antifungal
Immunity
Cardioprotective

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a shrub widely known for its healthy red fruits, that contains hundreds of edible seeds called arils. These seeds are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Ancient Egyptians realized the benefits of pomegranate as a remedy for a variety of ailments and, in recent times, pomegranate has been shown to have multiple beneficial effects, such as antiparasitic, hypolipidemic, hypoglycaemic, and antitumour activities. Specific applications in relation to poultry include:

Antioxidant: Pomegranate is a rich source of antioxidants.
Anticancer: Two studies conducted in mice with prostate cancer showed proof that pomegranate fruit extract inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis via modulation of proteins regulating apoptosis.
Anti-inflammatory: Pomegranate fruit extract suggests pomegranate constituents prevent collagen degradation and may potentially inhibit joint destruction related to osteoarthritis.
Antimicrobial: Several in vitro studies showed that pomegranate extract may inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.

Poultry Specific Studies

Type	Plant Part	Dosage	Specific use	Results	Ref
Hens	peel powder	2-4% diet	antioxidant	Reduced the adverse effects of oxidative stress induced by dexamethasone on body weight and egg production comparing to the positive control. Additionally, pomegranate peel powder had a significant positive lowering effect on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride contents compared to control groups. The lipid peroxidation indicators (MDA) were reduced, but the antioxidative enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GPx) and total antioxidant blood capacity were improved.	Y Eid et al., 2021
Broilers	peel	4% diet	immunity	Increased the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities.	M Shasemi-Sadabadi et al., 2021
Broilers	peel	7.5-10 g/kg diet	antioxidant	resulted in significant upregulation of hepatic catalase and superoxide dismutase1, which reflected in decreased concentration of circulatory malondialdehyde (MDA). Dietary inclusion of PP at 7.5 and 1.0 g/kg significantly decreased serum concentrations of triglycerides and cholesterol with concomitant decrease in abdominal fat deposition. The antihyperlipidemic effect was mediated through down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR?). Hypotensive effect of PP was also observed at 7.5 and 10 g/kg as reduced heart weight and the right-to-total ventricular weight ratio (RV/TV) and decreased mortality from pulmonary hypertension. The hypotensive property of PP was associated with increased concentration of serum nitric oxide. In conclusion, this study revealed antioxidative, antihyperlipidemic and hypotensive effects of PP at 7.5 and 10 g/kg in broiler chickens exposed to hypobaric hypoxia. Health-beneficial effects of PP suggest this product as a promising multi-functional phytogenic feed additive for broiler chickens.	B Ahmadipour et al., 2021
Hens	seed oil	5–15 g/kg diet	egg quality	Improved EPA and DHA content in eggs	M Alagawany et al., 2019
Broilers	peel extract	650 mg/kg diet	immunity, heat stress	improved the growth performance and plasma lipid profile of broiler chickens reared under heat stress.	M Sharifian et al., 2019

References

Abdel Baset, Shahira et al.. "Effect of different levels of pomegranate peel powder and probiotic supplementation on growth, carcass traits, blood serum metabolites, antioxidant status and meat quality of broilers." Animal biotechnology, 1-11. 1 (2020)
Ghosh, Sarbaswarup et al. "Effect of supplementing pomegranate peel infusion on body growth, feed efficiency, biochemical metabolites and antioxidant status of broiler chicken" Tropical animal health and production vol. 52,6 (2020)
Ahmed ST, Islam MM, Bostami AB, Mun HS, Kim YJ, Yang CJ.. "Meat composition, fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of meat from broilers supplemented with pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) by-products." Food Chemistry (2015)
Hema S, Arun T, Senthilkumar B, Senbagam D, Sureshkumar M.. "Report: In vivo anticoccidial effects of Azadirachta indica and Carica papaya L. with salinomycin drug as a dietary feed supplement in broiler chicks." Pak J Pharm Sci. (2015)
Hamady, G. A., Abdel-Moneim, M. A., El-Chaghaby, G. A., Abd-El-Ghany, Z. M., & Hassanin, M. S. "Effect of Pomegranate peel extract as natural growth promoter on the productive performance and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens." African Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology (AJAST) (2015)
Dkhil, M. A. "Anti-coccidial, anthelmintic and antioxidant activities of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract." Parasitology research (2013)
Al-Fifi, Z. I. A.. "Effect of leaves extract of Carica papaya, Vernonia amigdalina and Azadiratcha indica on the coccidiosis in free-range chickens" Asian Journal of Animal Sciences (2007)
Chuachan, K., Sasipreeyajan, J., & Bunyapraphatsara, N.. "Effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract on salmonella enteritidis colonization in broiler chicks." (2006)
Chuachan, K., Sasipreeyajan, J., & Bunyapraphatsara, N.. "Minimal bactericidal concentration of pomegranate peel extract (Punica granatum L.) on Escherichia coli isolated from chickens" KKU Veterinary Journal (Thailand). (2005)
Zhong X, Shi Y, Chen J, Xu J, Wang L, Beier RC, Hou X, Liu F.. "Polyphenol extracts from Punica granatum and Terminalia chebula are anti-inflammatory and increase the survival rate of chickens challenged with Escherichia coli." Biol Pharm Bull (2004)

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Benefits

Poultry Specific Studies

References

PoultryDVM.com

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